Magento VS. WordPress –Which One Is Best For Ecommerce?

Website building is an arduous task for everyone who is trying to set up an e-commerce business. The choice of platform for the same is one of the biggest decisions and can also create the biggest confusion as there are many options available in the market and you have to pick the best one which will suit your needs as a developer. Magento and WordPress, both are highly popular platforms for e-commerce which have been used globally by many e-commerce websites. The blog is written with an idea to enumerate the fundamental features and functions of Magento and WordPress. This will be highly helpful for businesses to make informed decisions.

what is Magento?

Magento is an e-commerce platform which is open-source. It is one of the most popular platforms and a favorite among the leading brands across the globe. The primary advantage of Magento is its ease and flexibility of use which has made possible the increase in sales and thereby attain a magic figure of about 150,000 web developers in addition to a strong network of over 300 solution partners.

What is WordPress?

WordPress is regarded as the largest content management system of the world which is open-source. It is generally a favorite pick of the websites which are pushed by their powerful content like blogs. WordPress is not a native online platform like Magento, but it has a plugin named WooCommerce, which makes it a robust and widely used e-commerce solution. WordPress has emerged as the most popular content management system which has around 75 million active websites, around 410 million views with over 46 million comments being put up each month. It powers around 29 percent of websites across the world.

Similarities between Magento and WordPress

Magento and WordPress are both open-source platforms and thus give you an advantage of making use of these systems free of cost. There are many e-commerce functions which are incorporated in both and are highly helpful for boosting the growth of your online business. These, when coming together with various functions of blogging, proves highly beneficial for the overall growth of your online store. They are both endowed with many exciting themes, features which are interactive along with various options to customize your e-commerce websites and Search Engine Optimisation. These platforms are user-friendly and come along with tutorials which help to build an e-commerce website.

Comparison of Magento and WordPress

Both platforms come with their own set of pros and cons. They do share some similarities but are totally divorced from each other and are equally suitable for e-commerce with their own features. Here is a list of features, which will enumerate the differences between the two platforms and thus help you pick the most suitable option for your business.

Ease of Use:

Magento is a specially designed platform for building e-commerce websites. It comprises many applications of coding which thus makes it relatively complex for building an online store as compared to WordPress. As a beginner, Magento will be more challenging initially as there are complexities in many designing tools offered by it. There is, however, always an option to hire professionals and availing the wonderful advantages of various products of Magento and thereby build a beautiful online store. Another point to notes is that Magento offers limited flexibility as it gives support for only e-commerce related applications. Although, with some particular extensions, sound features, and unique functionalities, Magento can help in designing a state-of-the-art e-commerce website.

On the other hand, WordPress is seen as the simplest platforms which are used by millions for publishing their content making use of its intuitive and user-friendly features. There are many WordPress plugins which are there in the market and are of great use to the beginners who want to build their website or create an online store. Customization and editing of the content which is posted are easier on WordPress. There is a lot of flexibility offered by WordPress in various functions like users can include many add-ons to their existing website like contact forms, faster single-page checkout mode, the introduction of the live-chat box, management of product catalog, live chats etc.

Thus, in terms of flexibility and ease-of-use, WordPress is definitely better than Magento.

The function of Website:

The foremost step you ought to take while building any website is to decide its basic underlying motive and function it will serve. In case you want to set up an online business store where you intend to sell around 500 tangible products, then your sole function will be to sell these products. In such a case Magento is more suitable for you. The advanced functionalities and features of Magento are highly helpful in case of building an advanced multi-vendor website. Magento not only lends versatility but also gives a professional appeal to your website. This is helpful in selling both physical and digital products.

WordPress, on the contrary, is handier if you want to work on a blog or even an international website which is involved in selling a good number of virtual items online. WordPress can help build an e-commerce website which also provides company services. This is done with the help of WordPress plugins. Various simple e-commerce functions are thus supported by WordPress like order tracking, delivery of products, payment methods, management of shipping etc. All these ultimately lead to the development of a decent e-commerce website which is not very advanced. Thus, WordPress is the preferred choice for all the beginners who intend to build a small store digitally. However, if you aim to build a big and completely professional online store, Magento can give you the most needed features and functions which will help you accomplish your dream.

Development Options:

Although both the platforms are involved in content management yet they are very different from one another. Magento is apparently more complicated as it oriented towards objects. You will have to follow a completely problematic and technical outlook if you are planning to develop your website making use of Magento as it requires basic knowledge about programming and coding. Once done, it gives you the best in class user experience and also with its in-built security features, your site will be free from cyber threats.

In contrast, the development of an e-commerce website with the help of WordPress is easier due to its framed widgets. Also, it provides for easy installation of both the widgets and plugins, simpler choices for adding, editing and even customization of a page or post topped with enhanced flexibility of the platform which makes WordPress a much easier platform than Magento. Any e-commerce website which is built using WordPress is dependent on a superior quality plugin of e-commerce. You should not use any third-party plugin as it can make it more prone and vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

Security:

The prime concern for every online business owner is security as nobody can afford any breach of data. When your customer’s online payments they need a safe and secure checkout guarantee. WordPress although is highly popular but is very prone to cyber attacks. This is also due to numerous plugins which also make it very vulnerable. Thus, you will have to use only reliable third-party plugins and those too have to be updated. Magento, on the other hand, has robust security features. It has very few extensions, you can be assured of security and there is no loophole. It is thus easier to protect a Magento powered website than a WordPress one.

Conclusion

Thus, finally looking at all the features, facts and functions of both Magento and WordPress, you now have a fair idea about pros and cons of both the platforms with respect to the development of your website business. Magento proves to be a better option as compared to WordPress especially for websites which sell a huge number of products online. At the same time, the infinite features and functions of WordPress cannot be brushed aside. Despite the differences, both share immense options which can take your online business to new heights. They are fully capable to frame interactive and customer-friendly websites which are SEO-friendly, can be customized and have intuitive content-management frameworks. This helps in the integration of highly advanced e-commerce features. Just remember, any online business will have to deal with immense competition and it will depend on all the choices you make on the way which will fortify your success. The choice of a great CMS platform will make all the difference.